Eight students recently graduated from Quest Kaba, an Eastern Cape gap-year programme and a franchise of Zimbabwe-based Quest Africa. Run by former Zimbabwean farmers Jim and Sheila Musto, Quest Kaba is set in the breathtakingly beautiful bushveld of Alexandria.
Eight students recently graduated from Quest Kaba, an Eastern Cape gap-year programme and a franchise of Zimbabwe-based Quest Africa. Run by former Zimbabwean farmers Jim and Sheila Musto, Quest Kaba is set in the breathtakingly beautiful bushveld of Alexandria.
Quest Kaba aims to transform young boys between the ages of 17 and 23 into independent, resilient and resourceful young men, giving them tools not often found elsewhere. Taking a gap year is a common practice among school-leavers in Europe and the United States, where locally based and overseas programmes offer experiences that combine travel with the development of social and practical skills.
Here in South Africa, however, the choices are limited. With its comprehensive life-skills curriculum, Quest Kaba aims to facilitate the development of integrity and character in young people, Musto says. "We aim to give them a true sense of purpose and direction in their lives and the opportunity to grow and challenge themselves in an environment that is both safe and true to life."
The organisation's website state, "Quest Africa was born out of a growing awareness of the gap between the conventional education curriculum and the next stage in a young persons life." The course targets five skills areas: natural, technical and business acumen, physical training and adventure sports and social skills. Participants are challenged physically, mentally and psychologically to develop character and an attitude that welcomes problem-solving. "
The carefully structured course has enough experiences and challenges to force a shift out of comfort zones into an action and solution mindset," says Musto. “We firmly believe that this kind of attitude is essential for a productive and fulfilling life in the unfolding African and global landscape of the 21st Century, where effective and principled leadership and values will be the basic tenets of success.”
Basic mechanics, building projects, hunting, guide-training, marine experience, agriculture training, physical fitness, cooking and catering, photography and even etiquette and manners form aspects of a rigorous curriculum.
After the seven-month course, an eight week program is designed for adventurous young men and women to gain a higher level of competence in a range of life skills, with an emphasis on marine experience. During the course, the young men can gain qualifications such as a skipper's licence or an open-water dive certificate. Activities are not limited to the water however. Experience in outdoor skills such as horse-riding, rock climbing, kayaking, hunting and guiding is included.
“Quest is about passion, purpose, direction, principles and destination,” Musto told the students at their graduation in the organisation's dining hall recently. “Above all, you need a destination. That’s what gets you through when the going gets tough.”
And it seemed the message had got through to the students. “Quest has shown me who I am,” Chase Williams said on receiving his certificate. Musto was inspired to start the college by his experience in Zimbabwe. “I went to Falcon College in Zimbabwe, and was blown away by the quality of boys coming out of their Quest programme,” Musto said.
“Our vision is to have a campus in Zimbabwe, one in South Africa and one in Kenya, so that they complement each other. “Our aim is to develop habits and attitudes in our young people that will set them apart from their peers. We aim to give them confidence and resilience in the face of life’s myriad challenges, through a “can–do” attitude.”
